Lone Wanderers
by SpookyGoof
Summary: Quinn and Valor have left their hometown and wander the forests in solitude. Quinn is still distraught after her brother's death and has promised to never trust anyone other than her faithful companion Valor. But when her world is turned upside down, would she accept the help of another lost soul? There'll be fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Small creatures know that circling eagles are bad omens. They run and hide, kicking away dust and dirt behind them. They scream and pant, and don't dare to ever come back. They're wise to do so.

No sane big creature would run at the sight of an eagle. No bird would dream of bringing down a deer, so the docile creatures just stare at the eagle's shining form before turning their attention back to the forest floor.

No sane big creature would expect that accompanying this eagle was a swift arrow.

And so they crumple before me, for they were not as wise as the little ones.

I'm Quinn, and that's Valor. We are travellers and need to hunt to stay alive. Valor is my eyes, and I am his shadow, striking wherever he sees best.

We ventured far from the small village we come from. After the death of my brother, I never really wanted to see our childhood home again. It pained me too much to see his face in our old toys - wooden swords and dainty bows - and to have to face memories of him. Instead, I have no home, and wander the wilderness. I am afraid to become familiar with an area, for I know that I will then miss it when I venture on.

I haven't trusted anyone other than Valor since Caleb's passing. It seems to me that it's too painful to love someone just so that you may watch them vanish someday. Valor is all I have, and I plan on keeping it that way.

After a whole day of wandering the forest, I realized that we may have headed too far north. The air was cooling and the winds seemed stronger. What's more, Valor said he could see pine trees further on ahead, and a vague outline of mountains.

"We've headed a bit too far." I say to him, aware that although we were resilient we may not do well in icier lands. "We should plan another route."

He lets out a cry of protest. _"I want to see the mountains."_ He says.

"Well admire them from a distance. We can't go that way."

 _"But we've never been there."_

"There's a reason for that. While you may be able to fly over cliffs and gorges, I have to climb them." I reply, chuckling at the look of disgust that he gives me.

He settles on the ground and combs the feather on his wings with his beak. He looks tired, and I know that we need to set up a camp soon.

"Come on." I say, and head towards a good spot for our makeshift tent which I had been carrying on my back.

It wasn't much - just a bunch of skins sewed together and held up by sticks to provide shelter. I had a sleeping bag made of various furs of whatever we hunted at the time of making and let Valor snuggle in with me. My crossbow and arrows always lay at my side, in case we needed to make a speedy getaway, as well as my leather chest plate and arm guards, which I would just slide over my clothing.

 _"When are we gonna find something exciting?"_ He asks, despite knowing that I didn't have an answer.

What I was actually planning to do with my life had never crossed my mind. When Caleb was alive, we used to want to become knights of Demacia, to lead charges into battle, to fight not for glory but for justice. Now, however, all of that is gone, not just because Caleb is, but simply because my childhood dreams have matured enough. I don't want to fight for the sake of politics, to spill the blood of men that had never started the feud they fight for. I'm not a pacifist for sure, but I find that the life of a knight is not for me. I think that as he grew older, Caleb realized that too, though he never got the chance to voice it like I am.

 _"You're upset again. Sorry."_ he says, and immediately I realize that my eyes were filling up with tears.

"No, it's not your fault." I say, wiping them away. "We'll find something exciting soon enough. I guess survival is not enough for us anymore, eh?"

I don't know whether birds can smile or not, but I swear that I sometimes see Valor do so.

* * *

The morning came too quickly and the dawn seemed blinding. Valor had already gotten up and had probably started looking for something to eat. That bird could eat five times his own weight, and yet never gain a single gram.

I slowly got up and put our little camp site back into the rucksack that I carried on my back. I grabbed my things - most importantly my crossbow - and headed out to find him.

There was a slight mist in the air, and I could feel the cold moisture making me shiver. I decided that we needed to head back south as soon as possible, so I shouted for Valor so that we could be off.

But there was no answer.

"Valor!" I yelled again, hearing a few crows rustle through branches, but no Valor.

This was odd. He often wandered, but he would always be within shouting distance. I kicked at the ground for a few moments, realizing that I wasn't sure what to do. Suddenly, I felt lost amongst the trees.

I started walking further north, thinking that maybe he let curiosity get the best of him and that he headed into the mountains as he said he wanted to. I dreaded having to come face to face with the cold winds and steeper paths, but there was no way I was leaving without Valor.

I kept calling out for him, but he wasn't answering. After a while, I started to panic.

 _I called out for him but he didn't respond. I thought he was hiding from me, playing a prank the way he'd always do. He laughed at the way I would panic and start crying in the middle of the clearing, saying that I was lost when really I was only a few paces from our home._

I kept on walking. It had occurred to me that the ground beneath my feet was getting more and more rocky and the grass seemed to dissipated along pebbles that increased in size as I progressed.

"Valor!" I called out, but there was nothing amongst the silence.

 _But this time I was truly lost. I didn't find myself in the same clearing like I always did. I was lost amongst trees and wild creatures. I didn't know my way home and I was too young to know how to find a path back into civilisation. I was left alone, crying for his help._

I had lost notion of the time and was driven forward only by the need to find Valor. I listened out for the familiar cry of his, looked up for his shining silhouette, but never caught a glimpse of it. As I walked further and further, the winds grew harsher and the air bit my skin harder. I was surrounded mainly by pines, their smell dominating the air.

Dusk had yet to come, but my world seemed to darken.

 _I cried and I cried. I yelled his name in vain. I wandered the forest - a lost child amidst an unknown world of violence. I recalled seeing a wolf. It looked me dead in the eyes but walked on. There was something about me that pained him to look at._

At some point, I must have stopped and sat down, leaning my back against the trunk of a tree. The spiky leaves of the pine seemed to tell me that I was not welcome, but I took no notice. I tilted my head back and yelled out one last time.

 _I had never seen blood before at that age, so when I came across it I flinched and stood frozen in panic. Before me, I saw my older brother looking up at me. I told him to cut it out, I told him it wasn't funny, I told him to stand up._

 _Then I realized that his eyes could not see me._

And throughout all this, I wondered if I ever even remembered my way home.

 _After this, I didn't even think about going home anymore **.** _


	2. Chapter 2

That night was the first time I had truly cried in years.

I was panicking more than I should have. I knew that I needed to keep a level head. Valor would show up soon, he had only been gone for just over a day... and yet he was rarely gone for more than a few hours. I shouldn't have felt so alone, but I did. I felt aas though I had been abandoned a second time.

In the distance, I heard an owl hoot. Back in at home, in the village I come from, we used to say that an owl's hoot is an omen of death. I push that thought to the back of my mind. The last thing I want to be thinking about is death... or my home. I knew Valor was fine, I had no doubts and no reason to think otherwise.

The funny thing about humans is that we sulk and mourn for years. We find that the death of a loved one can ruin us for a lifetime. We would do our best to protect someone from the inevitable hands of the underworld, fighting to the last breath for just an extra minute with our loved ones, and yet we have no problem with causing death. Killing seems to be a natural and humane thing for us - I have killed ever since I could so that I may stay alive. Equally, I have cried over death ever since I could remember. I guess it's not the passing of a soul that upsets us, but the identity of the soul in passing.

I had trouble sleeping that night, as I would have expected, but somehow I imagined that once I would wake up Valor would be next to me again. That he wouldn't have disappeared in the first place.

Humans are indeed strange. When things don't go their way, they seem to fall into an imaginary world of hope.

* * *

The sun rose that morning the same way it does all days, and yet Valor was nowhere to be seen. There were many birds singing amidst the trees, and it seemed sort of odd to me that life could go on.

 _And after his passing I could not believe that the sun still shone and the moon still rose._

I packed my things away once more and stood staring into the trees around me. It took me a while to figure out where I was, which way was north and which south, but most of all it took me a while to think of what to do next.

I shouted for Valor yet again and heard no response. It was worth a try. I couldn't stand around and do nothing, eventually the moss would grow on me, so I ventured forth towards the mountains. I dreaded ever reaching them, of course, for once at their feet I would not be able to bring myself to hike up them.

When it was time to eat, I managed to hunt a small deer that was too inexperienced to recognise danger. I started a fire and ate, storing some leftovers for later. I could not leave until I left some on the ground around me too. I thought that if maybe Valor would pass this spot, he would have what to eat for definite, although I knew he was a skilled hunter too.

After what seemed like an eternity, a bright blue feather caught my eye almost instantly. I recognied it immediately as it lay forgotten on the ground. Valor had been through here and maybe had stopped to rest in that very spot. I called out for him again, more hopeful this time, but was disappointed when he didn't answer.

I took the feather with me, as if I needed confirmation that what I was seeing was true. I carried on, knowing that I must be on the right track. Valor surely had headed further north into the mountains, but why? Why would he leave without me? I knew he had wanted to go into the mountains for a long time... at one point he said that we would even be safer there, which i dismissed of course, since rapid winds and blizzards are not the definition of safe.

And yet here I was, heading right into the heart of it all.

* * *

It took several days, but after following feathers that had been left behind I reached the mountains and was traipsing in between them. I had found a valley that seemed to split the mountain range in two which pleased me as I didn't have to hike up steep slopes with a sleeping bag and tent on my back. However, feeling trapped in between two mountains was risky, and I dared not call out for Valor anymore, in case I caused an avalnche.

I regretted not taking more to eat and drink with me before setting off down this path, but there was no point in going back. By now, I couldn't see neither the start, nor the end of the valley that I was crossing.

And out of all the risks that I thought of while walking through the mountains - blizzards, winds, predators - never once had an ambush crossed my mind.

The air was getting thicker with snow by the time that night was falling, and I wondered how my small tent would fare in the strong winds. It was a pain to set up, but my using a few rocks I got it to stay relativley in place. I was no able to fall alseep however, as the cold chilled my bones.

And I heard footsteps.

At first I had confused them with the sound of the winds, until they had gotten closer and I could make out the rhythmic movement of boots on compacted snow. I stood still, though I knew that I would not go unnoticed, as I didn't know what to do. I picked up my crossbow and readied myself. What a shame that the first time I see a human in years it would have to be a confrontation.

The footsteps were louder now, and more clear. Then they stopped. I held my breath.

Suddenly, the tent was yanked free from the ground and blew freely into the wind. I jumped to my feet and aimed my crossbow, ready to fire.

Standing before me was a stranged covered in furs and a metal chestplate. A horned helmet hid their face in the dark.

"Who the fuck are you?" It was a woman's voice - cold and hostile.

"I've no business with you." I said, backing away slowly, still ready to fire if she were to lunge at me. With every step I took backwards, she seemed to inch a little bit forwards.

"I asked you a question."

"Quinn."

"Is that supposed to mean something?

"No. I said I have nothing to do with you."

She stopped. "Why have you come here? Who else is with you?"

"I'm looking for someone and I'm alone."

She seemed to consider this. "It'd be no use to kill you. You'd just kill yourself soon enough."

I stayed silent.

"Who you looking for?" she asked.

I hesitated. "Valor... he's an eagle."

"Do I look stupid to you?" her voice was loudening again.

"N-no! I'm truly looking for him... he's my... friend."

She stood still for a moment, and it had occurred to me that she may have been frozen in place.

"You fucking piece of shit." She suddenly lunged towards me and grabbed my arm, taking hold of my crossbow. I fired a shot, but it flew straight up into the sky. She spun me round locked my arms behind my back, taking my weapon and arrows. "You think you're funny, eh? D'you take me for an idiot?"

She pushed my arms up my back, making my shoulders ache tremendously. "P-please! I'm not lying to you!"

She relaxed her grip only slightly. "Do you work for Ashe? Lissandra? Who?"

I shook my head. "I don't know who those people are. I've never even been here before."

The stranger seemed to consider this for a second, then let go of my arms. I sighed and turned to face her again.

"No wonder." She said. "I've never seem someone stupid enough to camp out in a fucking tent awaiting a blizzard."

I gulped. "I have no choice."

"I bet. If you really are looking for a bird, I don't know how it could have come this way."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you serious? Look around you. Would you think it could fly in these winds? There've been numerous blizzards recently, the winds are wilder than usual, and I don't believe it came here on foot."

I knew she wasn't lying. "But he must have passed through here... I know it."

The stranger paused before answering. "You seem like a madwoman to me."

And I didn't doubt that one bit. "And so did you to me."

She handed me my crossbow and arrows back. "Sorry about your other things though." The tent and the sleeping bag had disappeared in the distance, blown away into the snow. It would take me far too long to find them again.

"Well they weren't much use here anyway I guess."

I got ready to resume my search for Valor, since I knew I wouldn't get any sleep that night. I nodded to the stranger and set off once more, walking blindly into the snow.

"D'you need somewhere to rest?" I heard her shout behind me.

I considered the offer. "Why are you suddenly helping me?"

She didn't reply.

I chuckled and carried on. Journeys were better passed in the company of non-humans. Or none at all in this case.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't often that I found strangers coming into Freljord. I often wander this valley - I need to know when Ashe or Lissandra bring in new recruits, or aid form the outside world. I found it cowardly that they could ask for help from someone who was not involved in their cause. The two of them had been battling for years, and yet neither had the strength for a breakthrough - a quite appalling thing to watch. If only I would have had an army, anyone to back me up in this war, I would have taken them both down. Instead, I have nothing and live only on the resources that I can find or craft for myself.

I hate this shithole. When I was young I dreamed of conquering the lands so that I may own them. Now I know that the only reason I conquer them is so that I may live another day. When everyone around me is dead or dying, I find the need to live on, just to prove that at least one of us can.

After hours of walking through the snow, I get back home - a small house I had to build myself, but it's strong and sturdy enough to withstand anything. I even built a little stable for Bristle, so that he has somewhere to rest, away from the wind. I go in to check on him, and find him snoring on a pile of hay. I chuckled, and head into my own home.

I don't know why I offered to help the stranger. When she asked me that same question, I froze, realizing that I couldn't give an answer. Maybe I felt bad for blaming her, for taking her things and shouting at her, when really she was just looking for her friend - or so she claimed. I find her story hard to believe. Eagles can't stand Freljord, and Freljord can't stand them.

Truthfully though, I felt like that was the first time I wasn't threatened by a human. The first time I found a stranger that I didn't have to fight against. I enjoyed fighting because I was good at it, but never did I realize that I also enjoyed its absence.

It's a shame that Ashe and Lissandra still want to kill me. I am alone without a single soul, other than Bristle, on my side. How could they still see me as a threat?

* * *

I was lost. This called for an even bigger panic.

There was no more trail of feathers of course - since the heavy snowfall and strong winds wouldn't let anything go free - and I couldn't see more than two metres in front of me. I started to think that these wintry lands weren't just dangerous in terms of the weather, but also in terms of the barbarians that lived upon them. I dreaded to ever see an inhabitant ever again. And yet I had to press on to find Valor.

It was stupid of me. I couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't even feel my own limbs anymore. Maybe I should have trusted the stranger and gone with her. Maybe that would have caused me more harm than good.

All I had to do is keep going. There was no way I was going back, not when I had come this far. If I kept walking, no matter how stupid this may sound, I thought I would find what I'm looking for. If only I kept walking.

And somewhere deep inside me, a little girl was telling me not to let it happen again.

* * *

I had started a fire with what little firewood I had left. There was only one room in this house that I called home, so it was easy to warm it up. Although it may look modest from the outside, the inside looks quite impressive. There's various furs along the floor, a bear pelt in the middle of them - its mouth wide in mid-roar - all of which I hunted and skinned myself. The walls were lined with racks for heavy weapons - I was trained to fight from a young age, and perfected my techniques as the years rolled by. And finally, there was obviously a large bed for me to sleep in, covered in pelts.

I warmed up by the fire for a while, then checked around to see if I had anything left to eat. I wasn't surprised when the answer was no. Dawn was approaching, and it wouldn't hurt if I woke Bristle up earlier than usual to go hunting.

As I stepped outside, I was hit by the sudden strong winds, though I didn't flinch. The weather was only worsening, and I doubted there would be anything left for us to kill, but it was better to try than to go hungry as I had done countless times.

Bristle let out a small grunt when I woke him, but he didn't protest. You'd think that boars are herbivores, but that's not the case with him. It seems like once they get a taste of blood, they build up a liking for it. I wasn't complaining. He saved my ass so many times.

I mounted and we set off. The sound of his heavy form was quite loud atop the snow, but it could have gone unnoticed due to the wind's howling. I knew that we wouldn't find any caribou, or moose by this point, though we may run into a bear if we're lucky. Taking those bastards down is not hard - they make themselves look bigger than they really are and they attack recklessly.

And sure enough, it didn't take long until we saw a white mass of fur wandering around aimlessly. He didn't even know what hit him.

It wasn't a big bear, maybe he wasn't even an adult yet, but he would taste just as good. I managed to load his lifeless body onto Bristle's back and set off back home on foot from there.

Soon, I heard someone approaching.

I signalled to Bristle to take cover behind a snowy boulder. He seemed too big to fit behind it, but his grey fur blended in well. He got down on his knees next to me.

"No, I don't know where she is."

"Then we can just focus on Lissandra?"

"You don't understand."

"No."

"What would happen when we defeat Lissandra?"

"We'd rule the Freljord."

"We wouldn't though, would we? There'd still be Sejuani."

"She's alone, Ashe."

"But she's not weak."

"She doesn't pose a threat."

"Her parents had once led a tribe strong enough to bring us all down. We can't risk her re-building what she once had."

"But she's _alone._ "

"And she may not be for long, Tryndamere."

I couldn't believe it. That bitch Ashe thought that I would care enough to want to rule over some godforsaken land. I didn't need her people. I didn't need her gold. I didn't need anyone. I didn't need a land that took away everything that I once loved. I just wanted them to fuck off.

"Set up a scouting legion." She said. "I want them to find her as soon as possible."

"Are we killing her?"

"No. I want her to be brought to me and I'll take it from there."

Their voices were distancing themselves from me and I couldn't make out the rest of what they said. Great. Now I'll have a whole legion looking for me.

"D'you hear that, Bristle?" I whispered to him.

He gave a small grunt in response.

"Yeah, I know. I guess we'll have to sooner than I expected."

Cautiously, we resumed our journey back.

* * *

I was getting more and more tired, and I feared that if I fell down into the snow I may never rise back up. I regretted coming here, but at the same time I felt like I had no choice. If Valor was indeed here, then I had to find him.

Though the stranger said it would have been impossible for him to make it.

I dared not cry either, as I knew that my tears would just freeze my eyes shut. How terrible could these lands be to punish even those who did not want to go on?

"Valor!" I shouted, though I felt the wind cover up my voice.

I looked around me, and saw nothing but a white veil. It seemed to perfect - like I was surrounded by clouds. Clouds that stung and hurt, that pushed and pulled. Clouds that had a small patch of darkness walking through them.

And that patch seemed to get bigger and bigger. It took the shape of a beast.

"Oh shit." I whispered and gathered my strength to run. The snow clung to my knees and refused to let me go any faster.

Behind me, the beast was approaching, and knowing that I couldn't make a run for it anymore, I just got ready to fire. I aimed, my hands tremlbing violently, and fired in its direction. Nothing happened. The trigger to my crossbow had frozen in place. I pulled at it, trying to make it come free, but by the time it broke free of the ice, I saw who it was more clearly.

It seemed that the beast was being led by the stranger from yesterday.

"Not you again." She said as she approached me.

I tried to mutter a reply, but I was unable to. The beast that walked calmly behind her was a huge boar, carrying a bear on its back. It seemed... docile?

"Please tell me you didn't just try to shoot Bristle." She nods towards my crossbow. "I guess I shouldn't have given it to you back. Either way, it's cute you'd think you can harm him with that."

Again, I tried to mutter a reply, but the cold made it impossible to do so. My body was shaking violently, and I felt lightheaded. Something was wrong with me. I couldn't stand anymore, so I fell down to my knees.

I felt the stranger hold onto me as I fell, but my vision went black and it all felt like a distant dream.

* * *

 _ **Note**_

 _ **Okei so Sejuani isn't the leader of the Winter's Claw here. Oops. I guess I just wanted to see what she would be like if she would have had no one as her lore suggests.**_

 _ **Also Ashe is being a right bitch with her paranoia and Quinn seems unable to take the cold. Bristle is just a massive fluff ball with candy tusks. :D**_

 _ **It all seems boring so far, but I'm going somewhere with it, I promise.**_

 _ **And goddamn Valor what are you on mate.**_


	4. Chapter 4

I hated myself for doing that.

Right at that moment, I regretted it. I knew that in a few hours, I will also regret it. But I guess that in a few years... I would still look back and regret every minute of it.

The stranger's skin had gone blue from the cold - she didn't belong here, only madness could have driven her this far - and I knew from the second I saw her that she wasn't going to make it. She was defenceless - she had come here thinking that it would be the beasts of Freljord that would be the end of her, when truthfully it was the land itself telling her to fuck off.

And yet, once again in my life, I felt like going against the will of the lands.

She passed out right before me, and I instinctively reached out to catch her - it wasn't something that I had fully meant to do of course, it just seemed to me like she shouldn't hurt herself any further.

And then I found myself with a stranger lying in my arms, her face icy and colourless, her lips cracked from the cold. She had snowflakes scattered in her hair, dotting it with dainty specs of pearly white, and she was lighter than I expected, as if a part of her was slowly fading away with the wind.

"Come on, Bristle." I said, and we marched on back home while I carried her in my arms. It seemed to me as though I was trying to shield her from the wind, though I was doing it unconsciously.

Here's yet another soul about to be taken away from within my grasp, I thought to myself. After watching so many people die, it felt familiar to feel her weak breaths against my chest.

But somehow she was still alive when we got home, and I hurried on inside. I lighted a fire and lay her gently down next to it. I covered her with a fur blanket and stood there watching a goddamn stranger in my house.

"At least you'll die in peace." I whispered, knowing that I was only talking to myself. "So many of us don't get that privilege."

I headed back outsided and demounted the bear off of Bristle. He seemed pleased with what we caught.

I skinned it and lay the pelt out to dry. Then I started to make a meal out of the remains. Usually, the organs and various parts that I wasn't keen on eating would go to Bristle. That boar ate whatever came his way, and all I could do was chuckle at the way he'd gobble them up. After chopping the meat up into chunks, I made sure he got some more so he wouldn't still be hungry, and took the rest inside. Some of them I would cook and the rest I would preserve in salt.

Soon, a soothing smell of a good meal filled the room. I didn't always have what to eat, so this felt special.

Until I heard the stranger groan.

I froze, unsure whether I imagined it or not, but sure enough, she opened her eyes slowly. She frowned, and tried to lift her head to see where she was but couldn't.

Meanwhile, I no longer knew what to do.

* * *

I no longer felt cold and I could feel my hands and feet again. I heard the crackling of fire and upon opening my eyes I was blinded by the sudden light. Soon enough, I could see my surroundings again, but was not greeted with the sight of snow as I last remembered. I tried to sit up, but my body ached in disagreement.

I tried to phrase a question to the other figure in the room, but my throat was so dry that it hurt to even try. Instead, I must have made a chocking sound, as the figure soon returned with some water.

Only as I drank did I become aware of my hunger.

"I didn't think you'd wake up." I met eyes witht the voice and I realized it was the woman from before. I suddenly remembered what had happened and felt ashamed.

"I-I'm s-sorry." My voice was uneven, and not much more than a whisper.

She didn't seem to know how to reply to that, and instead helped me sit up.

"I guess you must be hungry." She said, and offered me some meat from her plate.

I would have refused - I really would have - but I couldn't. I was too hungry to reject what was probably her hard work.

"Th-ank you."

She nodded.

"N-not just for the food. F-for saving me too." I continued.

She didn't say anything again, and I feared that I wasn't wanted. I planned my exit, but what was I going to do out there again? I bet I couldn't even find my way out of this place. Despite that, I wasn't going to hinder someone else for my own troubles.

"I guess I'll be leaving."

I tried to get up, but lost my balance and had to sit back down. My head was throbbing and I winced.

"You'll die out there." She said.

"Isn't that you always thought I would do?"

She hesitated. "You got this far. It'd be a shame for you to lose now."

"Why would you help me?"

"So you'd get another chance at finding your family."

We sat in silence for a while, then the stranger got up and stowed the rest of the meat away. She seemed to keep it in jars and I wondered how it would stay fresh. Out in the forest, Valor and I can't keep a kill from going stale, so we eat what we can and leave the rest.

"Don't tell me you don't have jars wherever you come from." The stranger chuckled, seeing me stare.

"No, no... it's just that it's a bit pointless to leave fresh meat in there. It won't be any good soon."

She raised her eyebrows. "Salt keeps it fresh. And the cold in here helps too. How do you do it?"

"I don't."

"You'd starve to death if you don't keep leftovers."

"Not really. I'd just go hunting again."

"There's that many animals where you come from?" She seemed truly shocked.

"The forest is full of them. All kinds, from small to big. Plus, I haven't seen salt in quite a few years. It's hard to find."

"I get mine from the mountains. There's rarely anything to hunt round here, so I gotta make the most of it." She seemed to consider something for a while and hesitated. "I'm Sejuani". She said eventually.

"Quinn. Nice to meet you, Sejuani."

She sighed. "You too I guess."

* * *

And maybe part of the reason why I saved a dying soul was because I didn't want to see yet another person being taken from this world without a proper goodbye, no matter how much they deserve to go.

Because God knows that hurts.

* * *

 _ **Note**_

 _ **Ok so it took me a while to update, I'm sorry about that :c**_

 _ **Longer chapters next time I promise though**_


	5. Chapter 5

In the few days that followed, Sejuani was kind enough to let me stay with her until I regained my strength. I didn't know what would follow, but I assumed that after I had overstayed my welcome, I would resume my quest. If there would have been any tracks of Valor's left, then they would have been erased by now, although I doubted there would have been anything in the first place, due to the constant snow.

Sejuani had let me come hunting with her and her companion - a huge boar named Bristle, who looked menancing but was in fact far from it. She let me ride with her, so I mounted behind her and held onto the saddle tightly. It wasn't as scary as I had imagined.

Her way of life was vastly different, and she seemed reluctant to talk most times. I didn't press her, of course. Instead, I studied the maps that she had of what I now knew was the Freljord. I was constructing a mental image of the place, and hopefully I wouldn't get lost quite so easily again. From what I gathered not many people lived here, other than two tribes called the Avarossan and the Frostguard. Sejuani had also once mentioned that there used to be a third tribe too, though it had scattered long ago. She didn't elaborate further, and didn't seem in a mood to do so.

Nights were long and cold, even though Sejuani said that I could keep a fire going to warm me up. I slept next to the flames, wrapped up in a blanket of fur, but that didn't feel like enough. I guessed that I would never really get used to the cold.

On the third day of my stay, it seemed as though I was nearly ready to go again.

"It's madness." She said when I mentioned that I should get going.

"I have no other option."

She nodded, as if in understanding. It didn't seem to me like she would know what it feels like to be close to someone and lose them. I didn't think that she knew the pain of never seeing your family again. But then again, she did live alone.

"Listen, I'm sorry about your bird, but do you really think this is a good idea?"

I thought for a moment. "No, I really don't. But I have no way of finding him otherwise."

She sighed. "If you ask me, I'd say that he was taken. He didn't get lost on his own."

"Anything could have happened."

"If what you say is true, he wouldn't leave you behind like this. He was captured, so if you truly did follow the path here, then there's only two places he could be."

"Great. Now I have a plan."

"What if they kill you?"

"They won't see me. I'd sneak in, find Valor and get out of there."

"Really?" She chuckled. "You'd be lunch before you know it."

"You make them sound so hostile."

"They'd stop at nothing. All they want is the right to the whole of Freljord - Lissandra just wants to shape it from her role of dictator, while Ashe claims she wants to unite it. None of them realize that the lands they fight for are empty and masters of their own."

"Sounds like I should hurry to find Valor and get out of here."

"If you're going through with this, then I suggest you head to the Avarossan."

"How can you be sure?"

"The Frostguard are a bunch of mages and trolls, they'd have no use for animals. Ashe might trade them for supplies though."

"Right. Thank you."

"I suggest you leave tomorrow morning."

She went out and I assumed she was going to see Bristle. She spent a lot of time with him.

I looked at the maps again and had planned my route carefully. I memorised a few landmarks so that I would be able to know that I'm going the right way when I set off. I didn't exactly know what I'd do when I reached the tribe, but I figured that it couldn't be too hard to sneak in and find my way around, especially if there would be heavy snowfall.

"Don't worry Valor. I'm on my way." I whispered.

I polished my crossbow and made sure it was working properly. All of the ice that had once impaired it had melted, and I made sure to keep the water at bay to avoid rust.

I sat by the fire and warmed myself up, hoping that it wouldn't be as cold tonight. Sejuani's house was small and cozy, but it seemed unable to warm up.

I looked around at the various weapons she had mounted on the walls. It was scary to think that I depended on someone so dangerous. How easy would it have been for her to kill me the moment she saw me? But she didn't, and instead she helped me. I wasn't complaining of course, but there was something about the way she seemed that intrigued me. Whenever she looked at me, it was as though she could see right through me, but whenever our gazes met, I felt as though the blue veil that I was staring at was infinitely opaque, and there was nothing about her that I could see in return. She was incredibly strong, no doubt, as she handled her weapons and carried her armour effortlessly. I did notice that her body was particularly toned because of that, when she had taken her armour off. I hadn't been watching, I just accidently glanced in her direction.

Something made me feel a bit of remorse as I thought of my departure, and this was the reason why I had been travelling all my life. I didn't think that I had gotten close to Sejuani, but the thought of never seeing her, nor Bristle, again was hard to think about.

Either way, I just hoped that I would find Valor and return to the forest soon.

* * *

"Hey there, boy!"

Bristle jumped on his feet and ran to greet me. He nearly brought me down in his excitement.

"Woah , calm down, I've only been away for a few hours!" I chuckled.

I filled up his bowl of water and added more hay to his bed. We sat down on it together as I leant against him, slowly stroking his fur. He lay his head down and closed his eyes as his breaths evened out. He wasn't asleep, just relaxing.

"What do you think, boy?

His ear twitched, but he didn't seem to know what I was talking about.

"I mean about Quinn."

He gave an apathetic grunt.

"I know, I know. I don't give a shit either."

It was weird sending someone away to their certified death. I knew she wasn't going to make it, and maybe she did too, but people do strange things sometimes. And here I was thinking about how the world would go on, with or without Quinn to take part in it. With or without her curious nature. With or without her young, bright eyes.

Maybe that wasn't the best thing to be thinking about right now.

I lay my head on Bristle and we sat like that for a while, but when it had started going dark I knew I had to go back.

"Night Bristle." I said and he nudged me in response.

When I went back into the house, Quinn was already sleeping next to the fire. The wind slammed the door shut, and she looked up tiredly.

"Sorry." I said, and proceeded to take my extra layers of clothing off to go to bed.

Maybe I would wake up tomorrow morning and Quinn would be standing here with her bird, smiling and laughing. Maybe I would wake up and she would be gone, braving the blizzards in vain, lying forgotten somewhere in the snow.

And for the first time in years, I was suddenly aware of how cold the night truly was.

Then, the morning came too quickly and I dreaded the day before me, though I had no reason to. I heard that Quinn was already getting ready and as I opened my eyes I saw that she was gathering all her equipment.

I stood up slowly, my head heavy with the need to sleep further.

"Morning." She said, her voice somewhat drained of energy.

I nodded in response and stood up, feeling the cold floor sting my bare feet.

"I think I should be ready to go." She said.

"You don't have a sleeping bag with you. Take that one." I pointed to one of the ones that I made some time ago, when I was still wandering the Freljord. I had plenty more, so I didn't mind giving one to her.

"Are you sure?"

"Take it. And since your backpack's gone too, you can have one of mine as well."

She accepted them, and I finally felt as though I had played my part in getting her to survive. The rest was up to her now.

"Good luck. I hope you find your bird."

"Thank you. For everything."

She was ready to go, but stood before me, hesitating to leave. Our gazes met and I shivered. I needed to put my layers on I guess, it was cold after all.

"I wish you and Bristle all the best." She said.

"Thank you. Tell Valor he owes me, and so do you."

She chuckled and left. And just like that, the room fell silent again. And I felt terrible.

I opened the door.

"Quinn!" I shouted after her, and she turned towards me, confused.

"Is everything ok?"

I sighed. "Just... wait for me as well."

When she smiled so brightly, I knew I had made the right choice.


	6. Chapter 6

It seemed as though I wouldn't be making this journey alone. Was I glad? Of course. I felt that my odds of success had improved significantly.

She had gathered extra supplies and got Bristle ready to go. She mounted, and offered me a hand so I could do the same. I peered over her shoulder as we advanced through the snow, glad that I had some form of human shield against the wind.

"What do you plan on doing once I get you there?" she asked.

"My idea still stands. I'll sneak in and see if I can find him."

"And if you get caught?"

"I won't."

"Alright. But once you're in, you're on your own."

"That's fine. I couldn't ask anymore of you."

We fell silent. Sejuani seemed uneasy, and Bristle must have felt it and copied his owner. I felt bad for putting her in this situation. Would she regret it if I never came back? Probably not. She would never know. By the time I made it out, _if_ I made it out, she would be long gone, back to her routine in the midst of nowhere. And all I would ever be able to do is look back and remember that one stranger that had once helped me through Freljord.

We went on for a while, and Sejuani showed no signs of needing to stop anytime soon. I was distracted by the hoot of a distant owl for a moment, and wondered what it could be crying about.

Bristle suddenly stopped, sniffing the air. I felt Sejuani's body tense in front of me, and I involuntarily placed my hand on her shoulder for support. She gripped her flail and her breathing quickened.

The bare tree tops rustled. The owl flew by overhead.

Bristle lowered his head again and proceeded, and Sejuani let out a sigh. I withdrew myself, realizing that I was still leaning of her, and returned my grip to the saddle. I didn't think she noticed, or at least she didn't say anything.

We resumed our journey, slightly more cautious than before. I didn't exactly know where we were, but I guessed that we weren't in the territory that Sejuani usually wanders in. The snow seemed to lessen slightly as we went on, a giveaway that we were getting closer. The Avarossan didn't dare to settle in the harsh parts of the Freljord, so occupied the milder regions, according to Sejuani.

"Quinn, we'll stop here for a short while." She stopped Bristle by the trunk of a fallen tree and dismounted. I did the same, and nearly fell flat into the snow. She chuckled.

We ate and let Bristle rest.

"What are they like?" I asked.

She looked at me, eyebrows raised.

"The Avarossan, I mean." I said.

"Oh." She paused for a while, gathering her thoughts. "They're... well... I think them ruthless, but that's not what they're known for. They're the _peacemakers_ of the Freljord. They don't conquer, they unite. I call bullshit."

I nodded, expecting her to go on, but she stopped. I couldn't let the matter drop though.

"What makes you think differently?"

"Look around you. There's nothing here. Everything there has ever been was taken away, and who do you think wanted it all? They're scared that someone will conquer them, that someone will take away their fortune, their well being, what they call _their Freljord."_ Bristle nudged her gently with his tusk. "So to keep themselves safe, they took away everything I had."

"Do they... do they have your family?"

I regretted ever bringing that up. Her face dropped.

"They killed them one by one. They must have made a pact with Lissandra. My tribe was dragged away by trolls in the night, frozen still by black crystals while they were mocked by the Avarossan, lined up and shot dead. They didn't get me - I was hunting with my father and they didn't find us. When we got back we saw what was happening. We hid behind fallen boulders, watching their bodies being dragged like rags and pierced. My father couldn't stand it. In a fit of madness he sprung forward and lunged himself at them, killing four men before he was grabbed by the trolls."

She was gripping onto Bristle's sturdy tusk, leaning on it for support.

"The trolls, the hideous, vile monsters ate him alive. I saw my own father being ripped to pieces, and amidst his screams of agony, I realized that his last words were, _don't look._ But all I could do was watch in horror, and to this day I hate myself for not stopping him. For not dragging him away before he lost it."

I was speechless, but Sejuani just sighed and regained her strength.

"But now I guess their pact was over and the war still rages. Lissandra apparently betrayed Ashe further down the line, goodness knows what happened, and the lands are riven once more. And they always knew that they didn't get me, and they're still after me."

She mounted back onto Bristle and helped me do the same.

"And maybe one day I'll figure out why." And with that, she didn't say another word until nightfall.

I didn't know how to comfort someone. I didn't even know if Sejuani needed it. She seemed to have been over that story many times and said as though it was a narrative of someone else's distant life. And yet I saw it being reflected in her eyes, and I would never forget the way she trembled.

And there was something in finding more about this stranger that frightened me. Something about seeing more to her than I first thought there was. Maybe I thought that if I knew that there was something else under the hard shell that she built for herself, I would miss her once I left. And sorrow frightens me, because I've had too much of it since Caleb's passing.

* * *

I guess the reason I shared that story was because I needed to reassure myself that I was still alive, that I was still going. By making sure I know how I survived that night, I can make sure that I get through another. And as time passes I realize that although the danger may have passed, my own doing can be just as much of a threat to my existance as any arrow or dagger.

But there isn't a single night when I wouldn't mourn what I had lost.

While riding through the snow, I knew that I was about to lose someone else, and it was as though history would keep repeating itself.

Night was falling, but there was no where to stop and camp just yet. I knew of a place that I had dug up once further ahead, so I was aiming to get there before we stopped again. Behind me, Quinn's breathing evened and slowed and her body seemed tired. I leant backwards slightly to let her lean on me and felt her head on my shoulder.

Soon, we reached the point where I wanted to stop.

"Quinn?" I whispered to her, and lifted her head slowly, eyes half closed.

The place was just a large but flat boulder under which I managed to once dig a hole big enough to fit into. The boulder was supported enough not to cave in on it, and offered protection and didn't allow for the little cave to be seen.

We set up our camp in there and lay down covered in furs. Bristle remained outside and got comfortable in the snow.

Quinn snuggled in her sleeping bag. She wasn't shivering as it was warm underground and there was two of us to share the heat. I couldn't help making sure she wasn't cold anyway.

"Quinn? You ok?" I whispered.

"Yeah."

"Not cold?"

"I'm good. You ok?"

I smiled. "Yeah."

"I just hope I can find Valor."

"Me too. And I hope you get out alive."

She turned to look at me, surprised. "Thanks."

After a few minutes, none of us were asleep yet. Quinn seemed restless now.

"I've asked this before, but are you sure you're alright?"

She sighed. "Sorry. I'm just... scared I guess."

"I understand."

Without thinking, I put an arm around her. "Just forget about it for tonight. Think about it in the morning."

"Ok."

I wanted to distance myself from her again, thinking that I was making her uncomfortable, but when she snuggled closer to me I decided against it. I pulled her close and neither of us knew what it felt like to be cold anymore.

As I fell asleep, I couldn't help remembering yet again what it felt like to lose someone dear.


	7. Chapter 7

I awoke to the sight of a small trickle of light coming in through the snow. My eyelids were heavy with sleep, and within the shared warmth between me and Sejuani I could not bring myself to move. I wanted to just sigh, relax and drift away again, but I needed to hurry. The sooner I got Valor, to sooner I could feel at ease again.

I sat up and got ready to go.

"I guess this is it."

I jumped, surprised that Sejuani was also awake.

"I guess so." I replied.

"We're not far now. You could make it on foot now."

I nodded.

We crawled out from underneath the boulder. It had stopped snowing for now, and the skies had cleared. Bristle nudged Sejuani lightly with his tusk and she patted him. I thought I was fooling myself, but I think I could make out a sad smile on her face.

"Thank you for helping me. I guess this is farewell."

"Yeah. Good luck. I hope you find your b- Valor. I hope you find him."

We shook hands and parted ways. In the distance, I could make out a faint trickle of smoke. The Avarossan were closer than I had imagined.

Soon, I could make out the faint outline of their buildings, and also of the bundles of soldiers that stood here and there, laughing loudly, holding a tankard of something. They didn't look intimidating in a state that I could have mistaken for drunken, and yet I didn't dare venture anywhere near their line of sight.

I managed to aproach the tribe from behind and hid within the shadows of the buildings. There were no literal guards as Sejuani had implied, and everyone seemed to be hanging in crowds of cheers and laughter. Maybe there was something not quite right going on.

From the hiding spots that I could get myself into I couldn't see much and I found it hard to visualise a mental map of the tribe. They founded less of a tribe and more of a town whose size seemed to be ever growing. They had paved paths with rocks within the centre, had stalls gathered in some form of market selling fish, meats and drinks, and didn't seem to be short of living space. The chatter and the crowds made it hard for me to be noticed, but I remained cautious.

I looked around frantically for some sign of Valor, but amidst the people and buildings there was no sign of a blue bird. I prayed that they didn't have him inside somewhere. It would be impossible to sneak into the buildings without drawing attention to myself.

I was about to switch my attention elsewhere when I had noticed a pair that stood out from the crowds. The man was tall and sturdy, and beside him a woman with long, white hair, holding a glistening bow. Everyone seemed to greet them as they walked past, their heads held high in some form of selfish pride. I thought that I found their leaders.

Moving quietly yet quickly I followed them. I hid behind corners and blended well with the crowds of drunkards. I had followed them all the way a secluded spot between the walls of two houses, where they shared a few kisses before starting to talk.

"Did you get a reply yet?" His voice was low, but raspy.

"Not yet. They may not have arrived in a day."

I crouched in the snow, hiding behind a thick fence surrounding one of the houses. Behind me, there were a couple of pigs staring at me. It was just my luck to have ended up in someone's back yard.

"Will they realize what we did?" he asked.

"No. They'd have no way of knowing. They'd just think it as an expensive, rare gift that should win their allegiance."

He chuckled. "An eagle?"

"Don't be stupid, Tryndamere. Demacian eagles have been extinct for years. They will be honoured to receive it."

My heart sank. I was sure that they must be talking about Valor, but I didn't dare to move just yet.

"And with them, Freljord would be as good as ours."

She sighed. "I just hope they won't want a piece of it."

"Demacia has no business with Freljord. They'll help us win it, and leave us."

They were trying to get Demacia's allegiance then. They must have captured Valor as a trophy to present to them so they may help tear an already desserted land apart.

I realized that my search had taken me to the wrong place. Valor was no longer here.

I turned to leave, but forgot that I was still surrounded by snow. My next step was surprisingly loud.

"D'you hear that?" The man said.

They looked into the yard, and I crouched even lower behind the fence. They must have looked past me at the pigs.

"Just some pigs. Leave them be."

I heard them walking away and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I walked back the way I came and hoped to get out unnoticed, but it seemed as though the crowds has dissipated and the soldiers remained. I sneaked past them, hiding in the shadows of buildings, when I suddenly felt my hand swipe across ice on a wall that I had been leaning on. I lost my grip and nearly fell face first into the snow. I froze and held my breath. There were no footsteps approaching, so I carried on, and just as I turned round the corner of a house, I came face to face with someone.

He had a long red beard and smelt like alcohol. He was twice the size of me and frowned down at me.

"Who the fuck are you?"

I was backing away, but he was coming after me.

"Last chance. Who are you?"

Without thinking, I turned and ran. Behind me, he yelled for someone to get me.

Soldiers seemed to appear from every corner and I had lost my sense of direction. I had arrows fired at me, so I ran blindly, ducking my head into my arms. Suddenly, my leg would no longer hold me and I came crashing into the snow. There was a stain of red around me, and I felt as though my head was spinning. With soldiers approaching, I made a few futile attempts at standing, but only fell once more.

"Got her." One of them said, before being flung into the air.

A roar like no other boomed around me, and the chaos proceeded. A mass of power dashed wildly into the soldiers, and they succumbed into a pull of blood, crushed by tusks and flail alike. My eyes widened at the gory mass of bones protruding through flesh.

For as many soldiers she crushed, that many more seemed to reappear. She realized that too, so her and Bristle sprinted towards me.

"Get on!" She yelled, hauling me up as she sped past me.

Bristle was panting heavily, but ran faster than you'd think he could. The archers fired but missed us. We didn't stop until we lost sight of them. It would have been too hard for them to pursue us on foot, as the snow was deeper here.

Once we slowed down, Sejuani turned around to face me.

"You stupid bitch."

I fell silent. Words couldn't describe the guilt that I felt.

We stopped and she helped me dismount and laid me down in the snow. Now that I could get a proper look at my leg I saw the arrow sticking out of my calf, staining the snow.

"Well sucks to be you, eh?" She said. "If you bleed out once I get it out it's your own fault."

"Sorry."

She sighed. "You... You nearly died. Again."

"Again."

"I'm starting to think Freljord just isn't for you."

I nodded.

"Did you find him?"

As she removed the arrow and cleaned my wound, I couldn't help letting silent tears fall.

"Hey." She wiped my wet cheeks with her thumb, accidently smearing a small line of blood onto my face. "We'll find him, ok?" her tone changed so suddenly from before that I nearly forgot she was the one talking. I looked up into her eyes to make sure this comforting voice was indeed coming from her lips. I found her looking back at me, a small empathetic smile lighting her face, and that moment seemed tug at my chest.

I pulled her into an embrace and lay my head on her shoulder, unsure as to why I felt the need to feel her closer. She must have felt my silent sobs against her chest as she ran her hand slowly up and down my back.

"I need to tie something around you leg." She whispered, and I nodded and pulled away.

She got up and searched through a small rucksack that hung on Bristle's back. She came back with bandages that she wound around the cut.

"How come you came back?" I asked her.

She looked up at me and chuckled. "Why, aren't you glad?"

I smiled. "That's not what I meant."

"I know." She paused as she finished tying the bandage. "And I don't know. I had a feeling you'd get yourself into something."

"Really?"

She hesitated. "Well you know. I just... I just wanted you to see the people you love again. We don't all get that privilege."

"We don't." I sighed. "He wasn't there. They sent him to Demacia."

"What?"

I nodded. "Some _gift,_ so they'd offer their allegiance."

"Bastards. So they're getting Demacia to win the war for them?"

"I don't care. I just want Valor back."

"You're going to Demacia?"

"I would have headed back that way anyway."

"Sounds like a plan." She got up and helped me stand."Come on."

"Wait... what?"

"We're stopping by my place to pick up supplies. Then we'll go."

"We?"

She chuckled. "D'you see the shit you get yourself in? You can't even walk at the minute."

I smiled. "Guess so."

I put my arm round her shoulders as we walked over to Bristle where she lifted me onto his back. Once again, I felt starngely happy because I didn't have to do this alone.

* * *

 _ **Note**_

 _ **So after 2 months of being dead, I ressurect. This fic is not dead I promise XD**_


	8. Chapter 8

When we got back to Sejuani's home all three of us were too tired to leave that same day. It would have been unwise to do so as we couldn't have stayed alert. Sejuani suggested that we spend the night here before leaving first thing in the morning.

It felt weird, but I was almost glad that I was back here. There was something about recognising the familiar house that made me feel some form of nostalgia, which I hadn't felt before in my travels. We sat down and ate, and the steaming broth which we had made me feel warm again.

"Are you sure you want to come with me?" I asked, feeling sleepy from the broth.

She nodded and didn't say anything else, but when she looked up at me, she smiled.

"Have you ever been outside of Freljord?"

"Only once, and that was years ago."

"I'm guessing you prefer the cold."

She shrugged. "I'm used to the cold, so I don't really feel it anymore. I've lived here all my life simply because I don't know where I would go. I feel like abandoning these lands would mean abandoning my family, even though they're... dead."

"I never really thought about it that way..."

"Really?"

"Well, when I've lost my brother I didn't feel as though my home was where he resided anymore. I felt as though it was just a useless memory of someone who is long gone, so I made it my quest to venture as far away as possible, in the hope to set myself free from the sorrow."

"You've... you've lost your brother?"

I nodded. "I think he must have been killed by animals. I... I found him dead when I was younger. It was the first time I had seen so much blood."

She didn't say anything, but continued to listen. She didn't press on, and instead waited to see if I would be comfortable to talk about it further.

"So I tried to get him to respond, I tried to make him wake up... I thought him to still be alive - his eyes were wide open and they seemed to be staring right at me but... he was gone. I couldn't lift him, couldn't drag him. I wanted to run to get help but didn't know my way back home without him. I stayed with him for a while until someone found me. He was a farmer from a village nearby and when he saw us he dropped his rake and ran towards me. He was panicking, but by that point I was only registering half of the things that were happening. I guess he must have gotten someone to come help because they took me away and got rid of Caleb's body. They told me to go home."

"And you never did."

"There was no one to go home to anymore."

She nodded. "For you, home wasn't a place. It was a person."

"And I guess you feel the opposite way?"

"Kind of. Maybe one day I won't be bound here."

She reached into a cupboard and pulled out a glass bottle of alcohol. She poured some into her glass and looked up at me questioningly. I didn't usually drink, but I felt as though it won't do me any harm so I nodded and she poured some in my glass too.

"Cherry brandy." She said as she brought the glass to her lips.

I took a sip and my tongue immediately stung. It made my whole throat burn as I swallowed it. She chuckled at how red I must have gotten.

"I guess it's not for everyone." She smiled.

I put my glass down and decided I was going to stay away from alcohol for even longer than I expected. Sejuani though didn't seem to have a problem with it. She seemed like one of those people who are unable to get drunk, no matter what they drink.

"Are you tired?" she asked.

I guess I did feel tired but I didn't have the will to go to sleep. I felt warm and fuzzy from the broth and the few drops of alcohol, but didn't want to inconvenience Sejuani with my restlessness.

"Are you?" I replied.

She shrugged and smiled. "I don't mind going to bed now if you're tired, that's all." She stood up and cleared the table. "Also umm... I realized that you'd be too cold on the floor. You can come sleep with me. If you want to."

I nodded. "Thanks."

She took off her armour and I couldn't help but notice her toned abdomen as her undergarments lifted up with her chest plate. Our eyes locked and I looked away quickly. She sat down on the bed and ruffled her hair, unhappy with the way her helmet held it down while she had been wearing it. I don't know if she did it on purpose, but she only managed to draw attention to the way her muscles flexed under her short sleeves when she lifted her arms.

Meanwhile, I just pretended not to notice anymore as I took my armour off before sitting down next to her.

She turned to me, a lop sided smile spreading across her face, making me think that I was still blushing. In that moment, as I looked into her icy blue eyes, a wave of courage overcame me and I leaned towards her, bringing our lips together.

The kiss was shy and distant, and when I pulled away I was scared that I had made her feel uncomfortable. Our faces were mere inches apart and her eyes seemed to deepen in colour.

I began to search for an answer, for an excuse in my mind for my actions, but looking at her I realized that I didn't need to. She smiled once more and pulled me into another kiss, this time more passionate. I didn't know where this courage had come from, but it seemed to protrude from both me and Sejuani. It drove me to lengths that I didn't know I was capable of reaching.

A new warmth enveloped me as she wrapped her arms around my waist. The kiss deepened and she lowered her back onto the bed, bringing me on top of her. The feeling of her strong body under mine was maddening and when she ran her hand under my top across my back I shivered.

She stopped kissing me for a moment and pulled away. I looked down at her confused.

"Are... Are you ok with this?" she whispered.

I smiled at the sudden look of worry in her face, like reality had just hit her. It had only just hit me as well, but I didn't listen to my rational thoughts anymore. There was something in me that just wanted to feel her closer.

I nodded and that was all she needed as she pulled me into another kiss. We pulled away as she lifted my top off and I took hers off. We paused as we took eachother in and I couldn't help thinking that her form was beautiful, yet handsome. Her body was extremely toned with a few scars here and there. I ran my fingers across her collarbone and slowly lowered my hand onto her breast. At that moment, she smirked and flipped us over so she was on top of me.

She sealed our lips one more time before leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. The soft, hot touch of her lips sent a wave of pleasure through my body as my breathing quickened. Slowly, she reached my breasts and licked a circle around my nipple, while cupping the other in her hand. She brought her lips down onto it and sucked gently, eliciting a moan from me.

Shortly, she carried her trail of kisses on, leading down my abdomen. She pulled my trousers off and played with the rim of my underwear. She looked up at me and smirked, before pulling my underwear down too. She ran her hands along my inner thighs, never quite reaching my core. She did so again, each time getting closer and closer, but never close enough to touch me. I let out a moan in frustration which widened her grin.

She teased me once more before bringing her lips down to my wet core. She ran her tongue across my folds before licking a circle around my clit, making me moan which seeemingly pleased her as she quickened her pace. I ran my hand through her hair as she sucked on my clit, and arched my back as I felt her tongue poke inside. My breathing quickened and I was getting closer and closer. She licked me harder and with one last moan I felt a wave of pleasure run through my body as my muscles clenched. My whole body was on fire with a tingling sensation before relaxing again with a few gasps.

She came back up to me, licking her lips, still grinning.

In a few moments my breathing returned to normal and it was my turn to smirk. I swapped our positions and kissed her, feeling the lingering taste of myself in her mouth. I rubbed her breast and squeezed it gently, making her breath hitch. I ran my hand down her abdomen, slowly to feel her defined abs, before reaching the rim of her trousers. We pulled away as she took them off.

I ran a finger along her folds, pleased to feel how wet she was. She let out an involuntary gasp as I rubbed her clit with my thumb and slid a finger inside her. She threw her head back and shut her eyes, mouth slightly open, so I slid another finger into her, eliciting a moan. I came back up and kissed her, still pumping in and out of her. I felt her dripping down my hand as I reached deeper. She wrapped her arms around my back as our kisses deepened.

As she tensed more and more, I quickened my pace.

"Q-Quinn..." She moaned in between kisses as her muscles clenched around my fingers.

She let out a gasp and rode her orgasm out.

I licked my fingers clean and lay down next to her. Her panting died down and she turned to face me, pulling me into a kiss.

"Ok, _now_ I'm tired." I said and we chuckled.

"Me too."

She pulled me close to her and lifted the covers up over us. Our bodies were still hot so we shared a comfortable warmth, far from the cold I usually felt. She placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Night." She whispered.

"Night."

Now was no time to talk about what had happened - what it meant, why it happened. I had never felt closer to someone, and never did I think it would feel this good to lay down in someone's arms. I fell asleep almost immediately and slept pleasantly.

* * *

 _ **Note**_

 _ **jesus fuckin christ ive never written a smut before and this was torture so plz forgive me for the noobyness  
but at least the image of sexy ass sejuani didnt hurt me XDDD**_


	9. Chapter 9

As I woke, it hadn't yet occured to me what had happened. With my arms around Quinn, I only though of the heat of her body next to mine and went on drifting in and out of sleep. We must have both awoken when Bristle started rattling around outside.

I opened my eyes and found her looking back at me. She had a small, warm smile on her face as she kissed my forehead.

"Mornin'." She whispered.

"Mornin'."

I wasn't scared of last night anymore. I had never felt like this - it was as if my chest would burst if I wouldn't pull her closer. We snuggled for a few minutes and neither of us felt uncomfortable, as if we had known eachother for years. However, we soon realized that we needed to get going.

We grabbed something to eat, got ready and set off. Bristle had something to eat too and was restless for the journey ahead. He must have realized that we were going somewhere new.

We mounted and rode away. I looked back at the house that I had managed to build all on my own and couldn't help but feel a slight sense of nostalgia. Not regret though, I didn't regret leaving anything behind, but the sense that I was leaving my home for the first time in years struck my heart more than I thought it would.

Of course we had to be careful. Ashe would have troops looking for us everywhere. No one knew who Quinn was - she could be the first of my one thousand men army for all they knew. For clarity purposes, she was not. But if there was one thing that I had learnt from Ashe in the recent years is that her soldiers are always afraid to traverse the gorges that line Freljord - the cliffs enveloping them are icy and unstable at times. The heavy snow could collapse and cause an avalanche and the frozen water that rarely runs is just waiting to crack under our feet if we don't watch out step. Bristle and I know how to use them to our advantage and keep to the shores, but Ashe is too aware of the number of men she's lost to avalanches or falling rocks.

We didn't talk in the fear of being buried in snow so we leaned against eachother, swaying to Bristle's rhythm, to the music of his hooves against icy ground. He let out an occasional grunt and sniffed the air.

We stopped to rest for a few minutes, but not even then did we allow ourselves to make any noise. We would have been out of Freljord by dusk, if only they hadn't followed us.

We heard their voices at first, their echoes resonating on the walls that surrounded us. Their heavy strides came next. There was too many.

We had nothing to do other than mount Bristle and make a dash for it. His hooves sank into the ice deeply and he didn't slip, but the soldiers had heard us fleeing and ran after us. There was nowhere to go - just one long tunnel of cliffs and frozen water. It was a test of speed and endurance. For a while.

Their booming voices and sheer amount of footsteps made the cliffs on either side of us shake and tremble as if they could finally feel the cold that they radiate. I looked up and met the gaze of mounds of snow covering the dark sky. The booming was no longer coming from the soldiers but form the falling snow. Quinn hugged my waist tighter and I felt her body trembling against mine. I urged Bristle to move faster but the poor guy was going at his full speed.

I had lost track of time as I feared we would be trapped amidst the snow. I feared that the soldiers would get us. I feared that Ashe would finally get to torture Quinn before my eyes the same way she did to my family. But that wasn't the case. I wasn't going to stand still and do nothing for the second time.

An opening in one of the cliffs. It looked like a cave. I led Bristle right into it without thinking twice. I didn't know what it was, where it led, if it was safe, but it gave us a better chance. Once inside we felt the earth shake as a pile of snow covered the entry. The walls shook around us, before settling, and the noise diminishing. The sound of collapsing snow was gone, and with it the roar and shouts of the soldiers. Whether they were all gone or not I could not know.

In the darkness, Quinn was still trembling against me. I took her hand and held it to my chest for a few moments while we calmed down. I was just as scared as she was, but I refused to show it in any way.

We traipsed on further into the cave. It took me a while to get my lantern going as I couldn't see what I was doing, but once we got a bit of light we realized that it was less of a cave and more of tunnel.

"D'you know where we are?" Quinn whispered.

I shook my head. I had never been outside the Freljord alone, so I didn't really know the way out. I should have mentioned that to her earlier before she had trusted me to take her, but I paid no heed to it. We would find a way sooner or later.

I prayed that the tunnel wouldn't come to a dead end, and it didn't. Soon enough we saw light on the other side. We walked on out, and squinted at the sudden brightness of the outside world. Quinn let out a gasp.

"Finally!" She chuckled. "We're getting close."

All around us was a forest of pines. The snow was scarce and I was shocked to see so much green. I had been outside the Freljord before of course, but only when I was young. It had never occurred to me just how beautiful it was back then. Or maybe I just thought that because of Quinn's laughter and joy.

"Well, where to now?" I asked.

Quinn seemed to ponder for a moment. She looked around and at the sky to get a feel of where she was. "If we head on East we'll get to a place I know I think."

"You think?"

"Well I'm sorry. I'm not used to not having eyes in the sky."

We chuckled and traipsed on. The sun was nearly setting and the pines around us looked less like trees and more like menancing shadows. They waltzed in the approaching moonlight, a silent, mournful dance that took my breath away.

"We should stop soon." Quinn said, awakening me from whatever trance overcame me.

We stopped and lit a small fire and had something to eat out of the supplies we brought. All the while, I couldn't help but feel paranoid as though someone was still watching us. As though the avalanche had not been enough to lose Ashe's ugly spawn.

"What's that?" I asked.

Quinn followed my gaze to the fallen trunk of a tree.

"It's a tree dumbass."

"No! Under it."

She squinted and finally saw what I had. A small glowing light was pulsating under the rotting bark of the fallen pine.

"I... I don't know."

I went to pick it up and it was just the claw of a bear. But glowing. I took it back to Quinn for her to see it.

"I've never seen anything like it. Why is it so cold?" She said.

"I don't know."

"Well keep it."

"Why?"

"Maybe it'll bring you good luck."

I chuckled. "Yeah right."

I mocked the idea of luck, but slipped the claw into my pocket anyway. There was something about its frosty feeling and unusual glow that made me think that maybe it was worth keeping. Soon enough though, the glow had stopped and the darkness resumed. As I drifted off to sleep with Quinn in my arms, I had a feeling that everything had all been just a distant dream.

Part of me was afraid that I would wake up back home, not only confused and baffled, but without Quinn.

As she snuggled closer to me I felt her warm breath on my chest. She mumbled something before drifting to sleep, something about how she's glad she's out of the snow. And I couldn't bring myself to tell her that so was I.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun woke me against my wishes. I found myself snuggled against Sejuani after the cold of the night and wished that I could rewind back time. There was something so strange about the whole business - I having only just met her and her being a ruthless warrior that I probably should not be eager to trust. She had saved my life, though. Not once, but twice.

She must have noticed my shuffling because she let out a frustrated groan as she opened her eyes.

"We goin' already?" she asked.

"Afraid so."

I had already started packing our things away and clearing all the signs that we had ever set up a fire. We couldn't afford to leave any traces in case someone had decided to follow us.

Sejuani rubbed her eyes and slowly got up. She nudged Bristle and he too showed the same enthusiasm as his master, trying to push her away so he could get more sleep.

A jolt of realization hit me and I thought of how I had no idea of where Sejuani and I stood. I hadn't forgotten that night, and I hoped she hadn't either, but truly I had never felt this for anyone before. I wouldn't be lying if I said that it took me completely by surprise. I had found my gaze lingering on her every now and then and felt way too comfortable in her arms, and got lost in her blue eyes and wanted to kiss her again and...

It was a lot to take in, and I felt oddly skeptical about it, having only just met her.

"Come on, boy. Think about all the fun we'll have." Sejuani had tried to get Bristle to wake up again.

Nothing could cheer him up, but eventually, he stood up and we mounted, leaving breakfast to another time in our hurry to get moving again.

"Do you know where we're going?"

I thought for a moment. Looking behind me, I tried to figure out how far away from the mountain range we needed to be before making a turn East. I figured I'd realize when the time was right and told Sejuani to just keep going straight ahead. Deep down, I hoped that my navigation skills weren't as useless as they seemed.

"Have you known Valor for long?" Sejuani asked suddenly, breaking the silence between us, which although persistent, wasn't uncomfortable.

"For a hell of a long time. I can't imagine what my life was like before knowing him."

"I know how that feels."

"So how did a huge boar become your best friend?"

Sejuani chuckled, and I couldn't help but smile at the sound.

"Well, when I was young I strayed from my tribe one night. I had argued with my father for some time and being a rebellious teen I thought I could brave Freljord all on my own," she began.

"I, too, learned that's not easy."

She laughed and nodded. "True. So I was planning on camping out for the night, maybe in some weird attempt to teach my parents a lesson. I got caught in the blizzard - just my luck - and was nearly swept off my feet by the winds. I had nestled between a couple of boulders to try to escape them - you know, cowered up in a ball and regretting my decisions up to that point."

She seemed to gather her thoughts briefly before carrying on.

"I still remember the helplessness I felt - and it was all my fault, don't get me wrong, but it's a feeling that stuck with me. I hated it, and I hated myself for being so scared and weak. Not only did I fear for my life, but I felt like I had let my father down too. I was nearly in tears when I heard Bristle's grunts above the raging storm." She chuckled. "As it turns out, I wasn't the only one that found shelter behind the boulders and there was a small little piglet limping towards me, neck deep in the snow."

She patted Bristle's fur and he grunted in response as if he knew what she was talking about.

"And here I was, holding another weak and lost creature in my arms. He nudged his little snout deeper into my chest to try and get away from the cold and there was no way I was letting go of him."

"How did you get out of the storm?" I asked.

"I didn't. My father found me. Weirdly enough he sent the whole tribe out to look for me."

"Why is that weird?"

She sighed. "Because I ran away thinking all my parents ever wanted from me was to fight and win them the Freljord. I thought they never would care if I died because of my own weakness and foolishness. To some extent, I'm glad that night proved me wrong." She paused again. "I'll never forget that night. Not only did I nearly die, but it was the first and only time I ever saw a tear come from my father. He was the toughest guy in those lands and fought beasts three times his size, but he cried when he thought he'd lost his daughter."

I tightened my embrace around her waist and she leaned back into my arms. I didn't know if this counted as comforting her, but she seemed to feel better.

"Obviously I kept Bristle with me after that. He was an orphan, poor sod. And damn did he grow up to be impressive."

Bristle looked up at her in agreement.

She shifted her attention to her surroundings which were getting greener and greener the further we ventured.

"I've forgotten how real forests even looked like," she said, her wide grin audible in her tone.

"I guess you're glad you tagged along."

She nodded.

"Quinn," she said after a few moments, slightly hesitant, "I just wanted to ask-"

She was interrupted by the sound of hooves approaching. She turned towards me confused, unsure of what could be making that sound. I figured that she hadn't ever seen a lot of horses so I reassured her that whoever was approaching couldn't be the Avarossan.

Bristle came to a halt, looking around anxiously. Before us, a rider passed, stopping within a few meters of us, astonished by Bristle's size and thick fur.

"Quinn?"

I looked up in surprise.

"Talon?"

He chuckled. "You're the last person I thought I'd run into today. You never did pay another visit like you said."

"I know, Valor and I wandered South. But I promise I was planning on seeing you again soon after."

"I hope you were. Where's Valor?"

He must have noticed my face drop as he stopped smiling. "We're looking for him actually. We think Demacia has him."

Sejuani gave me a wary look before returning her gaze to the young man.

"Really? How did that happen?"

"It's a long story, but we really need to get moving."

"Now hold on a minute!" He called out to us before Sejuani could get Bristle going again. "You don't just expect me to bump into you like this, hear you've lost your friend and do nothing about it. I can help out - just say the word and-"

"I think we got this," Sejuani butted in.

He smiled. "Who's your friend?"

"Sejuani, meet Talon. Talon, meet Sejuani. She's from Freljord."

He let out a long whistle. "Heard things are tough over there."

She glared at him and nodded slightly. He got the hint and changed the subject.

"As I was saying - I'm happy to help."

"Thanks, Talon. We were heading over to Demacia right now, maybe sneak in and see what we can find."

"I'll guide you. And I'll help you sneak in. I've been there lots of times before when I was working as I spy for Noxus. I know any way in and any way out."

"That'd be great!"

"Would it?" Sejuani turned to look at me.

"We need all the help we can get, right?" I asked her.

"I guess so." She seemed defeated, but I didn't ask her what the matter was, though I should have.

"I'm happy to tag along with you guys, if neither of you mind," Talon added and we nodded, setting off once more.

* * *

As midday approached we decided to stop briefly and have something to eat. We shared whatever supplies we had left and realized that we'd have to hunt soon.

I suddenly remembered something.

"Sejuani, did you want to say something before?" I asked.

She looked up at me confused. "When?"

"Before we bumped into Talon. I realized I never asked you about it again, sorry."

Sejuani considered it for a moment, before shaking her head. "I don't remember," was all she said before returning her gaze to her food.

I thought nothing more of it and we finished our lunch. Talon and I had caught up on what had happened since we last saw each other, and I told him all about what happened with Valor. Other than that, he told me about how things had been going in Noxus, and how the tension between them and Demacia had dissipated. It all made sense, taking into consideration the fact that Demacia now had other plans in Freljord.

"I used to visit Talon from time to time for hunting supplies," I turned to Sejuani. "He owns a forge now that he's out of the whole spying business."

Sejuani nodded.

"Quinn, d'you reckon I can still do that thing with my daggers?"

I chuckled. "No way."

He stood up and walked over to his horse. Strapped next to the saddle was a series of holsters where he kept his daggers. He took all five of them out and took a deep breath. With what seemed to be immense concentration he placed on his nose, one on each shoulder, one of his right index and the other on his left. He held them there, balancing all five of them simultaneously for some solid moments before Quinn's chuckles made him break out into laughter too and the daggers fell to the ground.

"Can't believe you didn't think I was still capable of that," he said.

"Thought you were too old."

"Shouldn't we get going?" Sejuani asked.

"You're right! No more time to mess around," Talon said, putting his daggers back and mounting again.

Sejuani and I got back onto Bristle and the three of us continued our journey. I noticed that Sejuani was feeling a little uneasy, her body tenser than it had been previously, but I thought it was just because of the strange lands that she found herself in. I made a mental note to talk to her about it later.


	11. Chapter 11

"I kept that quiver of arrows for months wondering when you'll ever come back and get them," Talon said.

The sun was directly overhead, its heat heavy on my shoulders. I couldn't figure out if I missed the cold of the Freljord as I fidgeted with Bristle's reins to distract me from the climate.

"It's still there, under the counter. After we get back Valor, we can head over to get it."

"Thanks, Talon. And sorry I didn't visit in so long."

"It's alright. I understand. You're always on the run, eh?"

Quinn nodded. "Can't think of it in any other way."

I was getting more impatient and pulled out the glowing claw that I had found and twirled it round in one hand. I looked more closely at it, studying the intricately carved pattern. Its odd, mystifying glow was like nothing I had seen before and my attention was shortly distracted to my relief to what it could be.

"What's that?" Talon asked, nodding towards me.

I looked up at him and met his dark eyes. He was grinning, also intrigued by the claw. I merely shrugged. "We found it a couple days ago."

He held his arm out. "Let's see."

I held it up for him to see, but out of his reach. He took the hint and dropped his arm, disappointed and offended.

"Haven't seen anything like it." He chuckled. "But I bet old man Swain would know all about it. He knows this sorta stuff."

I didn't like the sudden attention the claw was getting so I slipped it back into my pocket. I was back to having nothing to do.

"There!" Quinn said, "Smoke!"

Talon stood up in his stirrups to see better and he nodded. "Demacia's close. If we take that trail there we'll head round the back of their walls and sneak in."

We veered left on an old dirt track and increased our pace.

* * *

I readied an arrow in my crossbow, seeing the walls approach. Talon held up and arm and we halted. Two guards guarded the rear entrance into the walls on foot, while another stood watch in the tower above the gate.

The towers were high and well built, decorated with the Demacian colors and emblem. The towers were spread wide apart along the walls, but the watchers wouldn't have spotted our approach from the forest. Yet.

"How do we get in?" Sejuani asked.

"I have an idea," Talon said and looked across at Bristle. "But he can't come with us."

"What? That's impossible."

"We can't possibly sneak him."

Sejuani let out a sigh of defeat. She dismounted and helped me down. Her flail was useless on foot, so she left it strapped to Bristle's side as she said her goodbye.

"You wait round here Bristle. We'll be back for you, boy."

He gave a disapproving grunt but seemed to understand.

"Great," Talon said. "Follow me when I say."

He dismounted and gave his horse a slap. Startled, it galloped away in a frenzy towards the gate. The guards raised their swords but relaxed at the sight of a single startled horse. They caught him as he ran past them and one of them left to scout the area as the other took him inside the gate.

The guard headed towards our general direction, unable to see us hidden in the shadows of the trees. He looked around him, passing us, before Talon lunged and grabbed hold of his shoulders, driving a dagger into his throat. He gurgled up blood, eyes wide in shock, before dropping to the ground.

"Take aim, Quinn," he added.

I got down on one knee and squinted towards the tower. The guard walked to the edge of his lookout point, unable to see his comrade. He leaned over the edge to take a closer look at the forest where he had disappeared but before he could make out the three figures staring back at him he fell forward and crashed down with a thud, an arrow lodged in his chest.

"Now."

We dashed forward before other guards could realize what had happened. The gate was locked. We waited briefly and the remaining guard re-emerged having dropped the horse off. The lock clicked and he stepped out. Talon seized him and drove his blade into his throat.

We stepped over him and headed in.

This was the residential quarter. Rows of houses stood before us and the streets were fairly clear and dark.

"Do you know your way around Demacia?" Talon asked.

I shook my head. I wouldn't remember any details from when I was a child, and even so most of it had changed.

"How do we blend in?" I asked.

Talon clicked his tongue. "I have an idea."

We headed back outside. Talon's idea was disgusting but it was the best we had. Sejuani headed over to the corpse by the tower and took her armor off, sliding the guard's armor on. I did the same with the one against the gate.

We marched back in either side of Talon and strolled further into the city.

"This is the time," he said.

As we reached the marketplace, he dropped to his knees. Sejuani and I each grabbed one of his arms and hauled him forward. People have us a few looks but seemed fooled by our soldier attire and Talon's obvious Noxian clothing. They were used to Noxian prisoners being brought in.

The marketplace bustled with voices and excitement. There were stalls and people everywhere and Sejuani seemed overwhelmed with the sudden change of scenery. She looked around her like she was in a foreign land. Which she was.

We marched straight up to the Palace. The guards stopped us.

"Take him straight to the dungeon." One of them said.

"He's a spy. I think Jarvan would want to interrogate him personally." I replied, trying to sound as calm as I could.

The guards looked at each other but opened the gates anyway.

The halls into the Palace were grandiose. Tapestries hung on the high walls showcasing Demacia's insignia and the blue carpet stretched all the way across the corridors. Gold ornaments lined the sides on polished wooden tables and a few maids hung around sweeping and cleaning.

At the end of the hall was the throne room, even more overwhelming. The throne was wide and high, made entirely of gold and jewels in the back of the room. Along the length of it was a wide and long rectangular table where guests were seated, eating a month's worth of food from all across the land. By Jarvan's side, who was seated on his precious throne, was Garen.

Jarvan stood when he saw us approach, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"We brought this Noxian spy in. He's got something to say," I said, conscious that my voice rose in pitch to which Garen squinted.

"Let's hear him."

By this point, everyone seated at the table had also turned to look at us.

"Noxus is inside your walls, Jarvan." Talon blurted out. "They're after your precious eagle. They're stealing him as we speak."

Jarvan's eyes opened wide.

"Garen, head down this instant! Stop them at all costs!" He yelled, his voice echoing against the walls.

Garen rushed out and I wasted no time. I ran after him, which Jarvan didn't protest, while Sejuani offered to take Talon to the dungeon.

* * *

"No," Jarvan said and I could feel sweat running down my back.

"Sir, with all due respect there's no need for him anym-"

"I sentence him to death this instant."

There was a deafening silence and I could hear Talon's breathing quicken.

"Very well, Sir. Allow me to take him-" I tried to continue but he interrupted me again.

"I want him to be beheaded. A statement to Noxus and whatever they're planning. I want them to know Demacia isn't weak. We'll send his remains back to them. A return, if you like."

He stepped forward and bent down to look at Talon. "Won't they be glad to have their precious spy back?"

Talon couldn't say anything, his breath probably hitched and useless.

"Of course. I'll take him then." I replied.

To my horror, Jarvan summoned another guard to go with me. I looked at Talon, pleading him to give me a clue as to what to do next but he just looked back at me in terror. He was clearly questioning why he suggested this. I was hoping that at least Quinn was having more luck.

I dragged Talon out of the palace and into the courtyard of the barracks. The clanks of swords and shields briefly stopped as the soldiers turned to look at a prisoner being led in to be executed. I met some of their eyes and tried to ignore the looks of skepticism. They must have been more concentrated on the outlaw than they were on the woman they had never seen before.

I brought him to the chopping block, which as expected was positioned out in the open for all soldiers to get a good view from further behind us, probably afraid to get their shining armor dirty of blood.

"Look," Talon whispered and I followed his gaze up ahead. The courtyard came to an end with a wooden fence and beyond it was a road that seemed to wind back into the center of the city. It must have been our only chance but we had to stall. We couldn't cause a commotion before Quinn was out and safe, and the worst thing of all was that there was no way for us to know when that would be.

"Give me my last rights," he said more loudly so the other guard next to us could hear.

The guard looked at me puzzled and I just shrugged.

"What is it, prisoner?" I asked him, trying to play along.

"It is a great shame to die like this where I come from. Let me pray to my ancestors for forgiveness. Please. It's my last wish in life."

"If you must," I replied, and the guard next to me huffed but didn't say anything more.

He pretended to get on his knees and bowed his head, mumbling something inaudible under his breath. By this point, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he actually started praying.

* * *

Garen's footsteps roared like thunder on the narrow stairwell going down further into the castle's depths. I could remember my way back and planned my escape. I knew there were two guards standing at the top of the stairwell but after that, it should just be a run out into the city and out the gates. It's a terrible plan, and no doubt we'll get shot by the archers on the walls. There had to be a better way but I had no time to think of it.

"Damned Noxians. Always up in our shit," Garen swore under his breath as the stairs ended and we came to a semi-lit corridor.

I had my crossbow with my and fixed my eyes on his head, unprotected by a helmet.

We ran on and came to a steel door. Garen fumbled with his keys before throwing it open. Before him was a birdcage and Valor dozing off inside.

"What the fu-"

He was interrupted as he fell to the floor with a loud thud, his armor cracking as his weight hit the stone floor, an arrow lodged in the back of his head.

Valor woke up immediately and cawed at the sight of me, flapping his wings. I told him to stay quiet and he seemed to understand the emergency. I threw open the small door to his cage, nearly ripping it out of its hinges and let Valor step out onto my arm. I set him down while I took off the Demacian armor and was left with the hide shirt and trousers that I wore as undergarments. I couldn't make a run for it in the heavy metal that we stole.

I picked Valor up again and he stretched his wings momentarily before standing very still as we walked back up the way I came.

As I ran up the stairs I froze at the sound of more steps than just mine. I readied my crossbow, back against the wall and waited for the figure to round the bend of the stairs.

"Garen? Is everything alright down th-"

One of the guards at the top now lay dead at my feet. I had no time to waste. His friend would notice his prolonged absence so I pushed further. Before coming to the door leading out I took a deep breath and steadied myself before throwing it open and shooting the remaining guard. My arrow missed its mark and was wedged in his breastplate. I couldn't tell whether it had pierced flesh.

He lunged at me, unsheathing his sword, but Valor took him by surprise. He clawed at his face and found his eyes with his talons. The guard screamed before the second arrow in his throat cut him off.

"More guards are gonna be on the way. Go Valor go!"

Now out in the wider corridors of the palace, Valor could start flying again and we ran towards the exit. I knew there were more guards standing at the entry but I imagined we would be able to speed past them. There was no way they could run as fast as me in their heavy armor.

Behind us, there was already a commotion of voices reacting to the scream of the guard but I didn't turn to look. I just kept running until I saw the light of day peaking in through the doors of the palace. I burst out before the two guards knew what was happening and speeded down onto the road ahead, heading back into the center of town.

* * *

The guard handed me a heavy ax for the beheading and I was glad that he entrusted it to me. Maybe like the others, he didn't want to get dirty.

One of the guards behind us pointed back towards the palace. The front of the palace wasn't visible from here but we could see a few more guards running towards it.

"Something's wrong," someone said and I knew this was our cue.

The guard next to me was distracted so I swung the ax with my full force and bore it deep into his skull. Blood spurted out as I pulled the blade back out and shoved Talon forward. We ran on, heading for the fence we were planning to jump.

Behind us, the crowd of soldiers yelled and were now running after us, but we luckily had a head start, and Talon was much faster than I had imagined. Once to the fence, he swung over it with one arm and I heaved myself upwards and down the other side. The guards were starting to do the same by the time we disappeared down the narrow and badly lit road.

We found ourselves back in the center of the city amongst the crowds and into the marketplace. I spotted Valor immediately flying overhead and with him I also found Quinn.

"Quinn! Thank the storms you're alive!" I yelled and she seemed relieved to see us too.

"I had to fucking pray!" Talon shouted but we had no more time to talk.

A crowd of guards was already headed into the marketplace and would no doubt find us quickly amongst the dispersing crowd.

"I have another plan," Talon said and we followed him shoving and pushing through the mass of people.

He seemed to search his surroundings briefly before rushing into an apothecary shop. The shopkeeper and the few clients inside stopped dead in their tracks and stared at us startled.

"Where's the alcohol?" Talon demanded.

The shopkeeper pointed weakly towards a cupboard before backing away into the storeroom in the back.

"Talon this isn't a time to be drinking," I replied.

"Shut up and grab as much as you can."

We did as he said, his plans seemingly having worked thus far. We weren't sure whether the guards knew where we were as of yet but they would surely find us soon.

We held on to numerous glass bottles of clear pure alcohol, undoubtedly used for potions and wounds until we couldn't hold anymore.

"Go outside and scatter them around the marketplace. Go!"

The wind howled as we threw ourselves out and dispersed along the crowds, bottles flying everywhere. The guards were here now and had circled us into a corner, unaware of the spilled alcohol at their feet.

Talon emerged from the shop with a lit candle in hand. He threw it on the ground and the marketplace lit up.

The guards yelled, baffled by what was happening and we escaped them, winding in and out of the flames that only grew in size. They latched onto the market stalls and the buildings, but we had no time to spare to stare at the destruction we caused as we rushed out the way we came.

The guards on the walls had vanished, now down on the ground in an attempt to save the city from the raging flames. Fire like this was easily spread and they wasted no time trying to rescue their possessions.

We emerged back into the forest and found Bristle who stood up promptly upon seeing us flee.

"Bristle may be able to carry all of us. Let's go!" I said, aware that Talon had lost his horse in the process.

"No, he can't," he replied. "Don't worry about me from here."

"Talon we're no-"

"They'll be on our track for weeks now," he interrupted Quinn. "You've gotta get away. Stay in hiding. Mask your fire and cover your tracks. Luckily for you, they won't be looking for huge boar prints."

"What about you?" I asked, now suddenly feeling horrible for what he was put through.

"I said don't worry about me from here. I've done this before, and I can do it again. I know how to go into hiding. They'll never find me."

He turned to look at Quinn. "And when all this blows over, come to Noxus so I can give you those damn arrows." He chuckled before running deeper into the woods.

There was no glory in our feat. As Bristle bore us on his back through the forest my mind wandered back to the destroyed marketplace and I instantly knew we would never live this down. It would follow us forever and something told my that so would Demacia. I still had the ax I was given, now fastened to the belt around the Demacian armor, I made a mental note to stop and take the metal off as soon as we were a safe distance away as it was uncomfortable to ride in.

"Are you alright, Quinn? Are you harmed?" I realized that I had only just gotten to asking this. I could feel her quickened breathing behind me and I couldn't help feeling worried.

"I'm fine. Are you alright?"

"Good."

Valor flew low so as to now be spotted above the trees. There was a sense of urgency in all our actions, and so it would be for the next couple of weeks as the search for us commenced.

"Demacia doesn't give up easy, Sejuani. I'm so sorry you're dragged into this."

"I'm glad I am. I would never let you do this alone."

I felt her grip on my waist tighten.

"Besides," I continued, "where's the fun an being an outlaw all on your own?"

She chuckled. "You'd know that."

There was a moment of silence before Quinn added, "Did you see how scared they were of losing Valor?"

I nodded.

"Something's not right, Sejuani. Only bad things can come out of this."

"We'll get away from here. Soon."

"There's only so far we can go."

I wanted to tell her that it'll be far enough. That we'll pass by unnoticed. But I didn't know whether we would.


End file.
